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Hello and welcome to Coffee How Shots Aspectators Daily Politics Podcast. I'm Katie Balls and I'm joined by James Versailles from Fraser Nelson.

Today Train Strikes have been cancelled at the 11th hour. James, is this a sign of progress?

Well I think it is clearly a sign of progress when strikes are called off.

Whether they're deal is going to get reached or not is I think still a question mark.

But I think it is interesting that the RMT who are extremely effective as a union, they've still got very high representation in that industry.

The fact that they are calling the strike offering suggests that they clearly think they are getting closer to an agreement than they were before.

And what about the appointment of Mark Harper as transport secretary and all this?

Because he's been making some comments this week suggesting that he would have a different approach or at least allies of Mark Harper suggesting this.

So what does that mean?

The personal dynamic between Mick Lynch of the RMT and Grant Shaps who was the transport secretary until recently was clearly not good.

And when Amarie Chavellian became transport secretary during the Trust Premiership, the RMT made clear that they preferred working with Herb and they had working with Grant Shaps and they made progress.

So I think it seems from this strike being called off but the progress that was made when Amarie Chavellian was transport secretary has certainly not been lost with Mark Harper being appointed to the role.

I think there is a question here which is the railways are in effect nationalized right now even if no one wants to say that.

But the government doesn't want to end up getting in the room of the RMT because the government is very conscious on all of these pay deals.

But any pay deal you strike will then be used by other public sector workers to say how in a second you're offering them this so why are you offering us less.

So I think the government is trying as much as it can to stay out of these disputes but it is obviously quite difficult when effectively the railways are nationalized now.

Now Fraser, you are a man of that town last night you went to the Opera here and now we have the news today that the English National Opera could be forced out of the capital, Arts Cancer England reducing funding for organisations.

What's going on there?

Well you're lucky to see you in the garage last night. It's good for itself and not quite classic opera but it was by the English National Opera at their home in the London Colosseum and we find out today where the E&O has lost all of its funding from the government every single penny.

Now that really is quite dramatic. This is a big news in the art world today. Even the Dom Mar Warehouse has lost all of its money as well.

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